Adelante Estudiantes: Club Estudiantes de La Plata

Words: Groundspotters

Images: Groundspotters

Just 57 kilometers from Buenos Aires city we can find, possibly, the most modern stadium in Argentine football.

In La Plata city, far from the flashiness of Argentina’s big five (but, for example, with more international titles than San Lorenzo and Racing), Club Estudiantes de La Plata has its home.

There, on the old lands of the velodrome located in Parque del Bosque, to which they moved in 1907 because the field they occupied on streets 19 and 51 (where Plaza Malvinas is today) did not meet the requirements of Argentine Football Association regulations.

A field was built with capacity for 2,000 spectators, which even had exclusive spaces for female supporters, and ahead of its time.

Fast forward to August 28, 2005 and Estudiantes win at home in the Apertura tournament against La Plata rivals Gimnasia by 1-0, with a goal from José Luis Calderón.

©Groundspotters/ Terrace Edition. Club Estudiantes de La Plata.

Due to the breakage of a wooden plank in one of the stands during this game, a municipal inspection was carried that would force the closure of the Jorge Luis Hirschi stadium, which wouldn´t reopen its doors and would be demolished for redevelopment.

The remodeling and construction project of its new stadium wasn´t easy for Estudiantes. It had to go through municipal, environmental and judicial scrutiny that had the potential to halt the project.

The possibility even arose, due to an offer from La Plata city council, to move to Ensenada, three kilometers from its historic location, where they were offered an eight-hectare site that could house a new stadium with capacity for 25,000 spectators.

In April 2019 however, the club confirmed that in November, 14 years after their last official game, Estudiantes would return home.

The inauguration took place with different events for three days in a row: The laying of the foundation stone, fans parading through the city of La Plata, musical shows, fireworks, inauguration of a statue of Carlos Salvador Bilardo (historical player and coach of Estudiantes and world champion coach with the Argentine national team) plus an exhibition game with Estudiantes players from different eras.

On November 30 of that same year, Estudiantes faced Atlético Tucumán, in what was the first official match in their new stadium.

They had spent 307 home games in exile at Centenario, Único Ciudad de La Plata, Juan Domingo Perón and Julio Grondona stadia; even that of their arch-rivals Gimnasia in the Juan Carmelo Zerillo.

Estudiantes de La Plata is a club with a rich history and tradition. Thats why, to honour their many idols, they named their four new stands as: `Campeón Del Mundo´ (World Champions), `Campeón De América’ (American Champions), `Campeón Nacional´ (National Champions) and ‘La Tercera Que Mata’ after a famous side.

With the works carried out at beginning of 2022 to install a temporary tubular stand (to be able to receive away fans in international cup games), the stadium has a total capacity of 32,530 spectators.

Uno Stadium is considered one of the most modern, not only in Argentina but worldwide, due to the certifications achieved, compliance with standards and adherence to environmental care programs.

They considerably reduced energy consumption through the comprehensive use of LED lighting, developed a structure for rational water consumption and rainwater collection and promoted the use of renewable energy through photovoltaic panels and a wind generator.

In addition to the stadium, Estudiantes has a multi-sports gym, a heated pool with semi-olympic measurements, a museum, theme bars and commercial premises.

All this in a 100% digital environment, with last generation connectivity solutions, offering their attendees a 360º connection experience.

In November 2022, three years after its inauguration, Estadio Uno hosted its first concert (Tini Stoessel) with more than 30,000 spectators. After this Wos, La Konga and Fito Paez also performed their shows at the stadium.

It’s a modern, comfortable and luxurious home but without losing the mystique and tradition that dictate Estudiantes´s history, `El León´ (`The Lion´) still roar at 1 and 54.

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